Hurricane Milton is approaching Florida and could face wind shear, which could weaken its core winds but increase its size and storm surge. Hurricanes are heat engines that extract heat from the ocean and release it in thunderstorms around the eye. Wind shear can disrupt this process and weaken the storm. Milton’s low wind shear environment allowed it to rapidly intensify before reaching the Gulf coast. Small storms like Milton can intensify quickly but are also more susceptible to wind shear. As Milton approaches Florida, it may undergo eyewall replacement cycles that could weaken the storm. Larger storms like Hurricane Helene are harder to disrupt. Overall, Milton is expected to be a large and powerful hurricane at landfall in Florida, bringing life-threatening hazards. The storm’s impact will depend on various factors such as wind shear and size. Dinah Voyles Pulver covers climate change and has written about hurricanes for over 30 years.
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Wind shear to influence impact of Hurricane Milton
